1. BASELINE SURVEY ON STRENGTHENING OF LOCAL CLIMATE CHANGE
ADVOCACY – MAKING LOCAL VOICES HEARD IN THE CLIMATE DEBATE IN
KARAMOJA AND TESO REGIONS
REPORT
SUBMITTED TO ACT ALLIANCE
BY
ROSEMARY N KABUGO RUJUMBA
LEAD CONSULTANT
MAY 2015

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction: This report is the result of a baseline survey for the project - Strengthening of local
climate change advocacy – making local voices heard in the climate debate, commissioned by
Act Alliance/ Dan Church Aid in April 2015. The survey was carried out in four districts of the
Teso and Karamoja sub-regions, namely Soroti and Kumi, Moroto and Nakapiripiri, as well as
Kampala, the hub for majority Government policy and technical departments relevant to climate
change, and headquarters for the Catholic Church and Church of Uganda.
Background, Purpose and Methods of the Baseline Survey: Uganda is experiencing climate
change, urged to likely increase the frequency and intensity of droughts, floods, glacial melting,
landslides and heat waves that will significantly impact the livelihoods of local communities,
who largely depend on natural resources. The impacts of these are reflected by shifts in spread of
diseases such as Malaria, soil erosion and degradation, floods, damage to infrastructure and
settlements and shift in productivity of agricultural and natural resources. Due to the country’s
dependence on natural resources, these impacts are likely to be more striking; moreover the
country faces limited capacity to adopt to climate change – as it remains one of the least prepared
and most vulnerable countries in the World (International Climate Risk Report 2007).
Climate Finance represents one of the key limiting factors holding back delivery of Uganda’s
climate change obligations. On-budget climate change relevant spending is approximately 0.2
per cent of GDP, in contrast to the recommended 1.6 per cent of GDP that should be spent on
climate change-relevant activities (Tumushabe G...et al, 2013).1 In addition, in spite of a national
policy framework to guide mainstreaming of disaster preparedness and management into
development planning, Local Governments are struggling to integrate climate change and
disaster risk reduction.
As a key priority of ACT Alliance’s work for now more than five years, the agency will launch
increased response to climate change through a three year project - “Strengthening of local
climate change advocacy – making local voices heard in the climate debate” to be implemented
in the Teso and Karamoja sub-regions – the worst hit areas by climate change impacts.
A baseline survey was commissioned as a pre-cursor to the project, to generate data for
measuring changes during and after implementation of the project. A non-experimental
evaluation design was applied, with a mix of both qualitative and quantitative methods.
Secondary and primary data sources generated relevant data. Interviews were held with
legislators, Government departments both at the Centre and local government level, Church
personnel, community members, key staff on the project, and ACT Alliance members. Field data
collection was carried out in four districts - Soroti and Kumi representing Teso region, while
Moroto and Nakapiripirit represented Karamoja region.
BASELINE FINDINGS
Respondents Identification: Study participants totaled 60. Legislators (Parliamentarians)
constituted -1.7%, Central and Local Government staff - 18% each, Church and Faith Actors–
1 Tumushabe G...et al, 2013, Uganda National Climate change finance Analysis, 2013

3. 20%, and community members as majority at– 33.3%. The Male were more (68.3%) than
females -31.7%
Knowledge of Climate Change and Importance of Climate Change Advocacy: Over 88% of
respondents exhibited basic understanding of climate change and the importance of climate
change adaptation, while only 8% had moderate knowledge and 4% advanced knowledge. There
is limited knowledge on climate finance issues. General Climate Change Knowledge is acquired
mainly through awareness from trainings (received by 55% of respondents).
Scope and Scale of Climate Change Financing Advocacy: Efforts towards advocating for
increased finances for climate change are limited in majority institutions. 49% of respondents
were unaware of any climate finance advocacy efforts in their institutions.
Key ways of climate finance advocacy include: lobbying Government and Donors, awareness
creation of the impact of climate change, and writing proposals to attract more funding towards
climate change. Monitoring institutions’ expenditures towards climate change was rated least.
Climate Change financing advocacy efforts are benefiting from a rich and favorable policy
environment, supported by a National Climate Change Policy, recognition by Uganda Vision
2040 and the National Development Plan as key development challenges, integration in national
Budgeting and Planning, favorable and rich institutional framework and many other key climate
relevant policies.
Forums for general climate change issues include: Budget Conferences at national and district
level, Parliamentary Forum on Climate Change, the National Disaster Risk reduction platform,
Uganda Joint Christian Council, Conference of Parties, and UNFCCC. At district / regional
level, forums include District Council meetings, District Disaster Management Committees,
Barazas, radio talk shows, the Peace Actors Coalition in Teso, the Joint Northern Uganda forum
on Environment and natural resources, and Teso Disaster Risk Reduction Platform. Within the
Church of Uganda, forums include: the Provincial Assembly, Diocesan Senode, Parish Councils,
Mothers Union, Church gatherings, while Catholic Church avenues include the Episcopal
Conference, CARITAs members forum, Radio Sapienca. Ministry of Water and Environment’s
Post Conference of Parties (CORP) forum and National Climate Change Forum, facilitate
Uganda’s involvement in CORP with an agreed position. At International level, the UNFCCC
facilitates advocacy and negotiations by Government of Uganda on Climate Change.
Civil Society organizations are yet to organize themselves into a strong voice for climate change.
Existing individualized networks include: the Climate Action Network, Civil Society Budget
Advisory Group, the Uganda Water & Sanitation NGO Network (UWASNET)
Women involvement in climate advocacy is limited, as reported by 62.5% respondents compared
to 37.5%. Efforts to deliberately target women are through representation on the Parliamentary
Forum on climate change, women advocates on Climate Change, church programmes
spearheaded by Mothers Union and the Catholic Women’s’ Guild.

4. Scope of Funding Climate Financing: Climate Change interventions are funded majorly from
donor funding through projects, than public resources. Public expenditure is through various
sector interventions that are climate-relevant through the mainstreaming avenue. Mainstream
Government budget support is affected by absence of a specific budget vote on Climate Change
that makes it difficult to deliberately allocate government funds to Climate Change.
Key Entry Points for Climate Change Financing in the Government of Uganda Budget
Cycle are in terms of documents and tools facilitating the process and participation at the key
stages of the budget process: preparation and formulation, approval and presentation,
implementation and execution, and audit and evaluation of the budget. Key documents include
Vision 2040, National Development Plan, district development plans – avenues that recognize
Climate change as a development phenomenon to be considered in planning and budgeting, the
budget Call Circular that calls for the mainstreaming of cross cutting issues that include climate
change in sectoral budgets and plans; budget framework papers provide the avenue for actual
integration of climate change issues as advised by the Budget call circular; the budget speech -
presents and explains the draft budget to Parliament. The Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group
(CSBAG) can be utilized for Climate Change Advocacy if equipped and skilled about climate
change issues.
Existing capacity to advance the climate change financing advocacy agenda: is in the form
of policies that favor climate change, strategies that integrate climate change issues (existing in
50% of surveyed institutions), established focal offices and personnel in charge of climate
change issues (80%), knowledge and skills obtained from trainings (though advocacy knowledge
is low - 2.5%), as well as funding obtained from various sources including budget support and
projects.
Status, Measurability and Relevance of Key Project Indicators: ACT Forum members in
Teso and Karamoja regions are participating in two local for a, the District Disaster Management
Committees and the Teso DRR Platform in Teso Region; no negotiation table on climate change
financing is in existence, except for the two forums that involve Government stakeholders.
Whereas some negotiation or advocacy avenues for DRR/ climate change exist among ACT
Alliance partners and members, there has not been a streamlined process of monitoring to ensure
that DRR/ Climate change issues actually feed into Government agenda at International level.
The project indicators outlined in the project proposal are too inadequate to meaningfully and
effectively monitor project progress. In addition, these are not logically outlined in a monitoring
framework
Opportunities for Climate Change Financing Advocacy - Institutions, Processes, Laws and
Policies, Individuals: Institutions include: the country’s Climate Change Department –the Focal
Climate Change National Institution, Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development,
National Planning Authority, Ministry of Local Government – as key coordinating Ministries
and institutions; Parliamentary Committee on the Budget, Parliamentary Forum on Climate
Change – for legislative support on climate change and the budget, the National Climate Change
Advisory Committee and National Climate Change Technical Committee – facilitating inter-
sectoral collaboration, the Parliamentary budget office, as well as Ministries in charge of Teso
and Karamoja Affairs.

5. At Local Government level, the Natural Resources Department – as focal point for Climate
Change as well as the existing Environment Committee and Disaster management committees
for cross-sectoral coordination on Climate Change /DRR.
Within Church of the Province of Uganda key institutions include: the Provincial Assembly/
House of Bishops – the Apex body for the church that brings together all Diocesan Bishops and
sets policy direction for the Church. Others are: Diocesan Synod at Diocesan level, Diocesan
Mouthpieces, Education & Planning Departments; as well as the Parish Council and Churches.
Mothers Union and the Head of Laity will facilitate the rallying of women in the campaign.
For the Catholic Church, key institutions are: the Uganda Episcopal Conference – the umbrella
organ of Catholic Bishops, the Archdioceses, the Dioceses, CARITAS Commission, CARITAS
Uganda, and all CARITAS Diocese Offices in the two regions, as well as the Catholic Women’s
Guild
Key policies include: The Climate Change Policy and Costed Strategy, Plans, policies;
documents influencing the budget process, at the centre; Church of Uganda provincial office
budgets and plans, the Land policy, the upcoming Climate Change Policy, Diocesan Budgets and
Plans; For the Catholic Church - CARITAS Strategies, Diocesan strategies and budgets, as well
as Strategic and Annual Plans for the Faith Actors and Other Civil Society Agencies
Key influential individuals include : Members of Parliament, particularly members of the
Parliamentary Committee on the Budget and the Parliamentary Forum on Climate Change; the
Cabinet; members of the Climate Change Policy Committee, Sector Working Group members,
Parliament Budget Office staff, Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee members on Climate
Change at the Centre; as well as the District Counselors, District Speaker, District Chairperson,
CAO, staff of the Planning Units and Natural Resources Department and members of the
Environment and Disaster management Committees at LG level.
Within the Church of Uganda, key influential individuals include: members of the Provincial
Assembly/ House of Bishops, Diocesan Synods at Diocesan level, Diocesan Mouthpieces,
Education and Planning Department staff; as well as the Parish Council members, Church
congregations, President and leadership of Mothers Union and the Head of Laity who is a
woman
Key individuals in the Catholic Church include : the Cardinal as Patron of the Catholic Church in
Uganda, the Arch-Bishops, Bishops, Chairperson and Secretary General of Uganda Episcopal
Conference, Chairperson of CARITAs Commission (also Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese),
CARITAs Uganda National Director, CARITAS Uganda leadership, Diocese Offices in the two
regions, leadership of the Catholic Women’s Guild, the Equal Opportunities Officer at
CARITAS Uganda, as well as CARITAS Women Development Coordinators
Recommendations
Improving Knowledge of Climate Change Financing Advocacy

6.  Widely disseminate climate change information using various formats and channels, to
increase awareness about climate change across board
 Create more awareness about Climate Change policies, laws, guidelines, and institutional
roles to ensure compliance to their financial provisions by the key climate change actors
Increasing Scope and Scale of Climate Change Financing Advocacy
 Take advantage of the forums used for general climate change deliberations in the
Central and Local Governments, Church and communities for climate finance advocacy
 Call for a stronger civil society voice and structure in the country’s Climate Change
agenda, to compliment the Church in both advocating for Climate Finances, and provide
avenues through which various climate change projects can be implemented outside
Government.
 Emphasize women involvement in climate change / DRR finance advocacy
 Commission relevant studies on climate change finance to facilitate the advocacy agenda
for climate finance in the country.
 Call for and also target capacity building for tracking climate finance for greater
accountability and impact of climate finance investments
Opportunities for increasing Government Budgeting for Climate Change
 Engage the Civil Society Budget Advisory Group, build its capacity for climate change
and formalize its role in advocacy for the climate change finance agenda during the
budgeting process
 Organize key project stakeholders for participation in the various budget process forums
at the national, regional and local level.
 Target development of position papers on climate financing for presentation both at
central level in Parliament and at regional budget workshops, as avenue to make voice for
increasing climate change financing / allocations in government budgets.
 Target the budget processes to widely disseminate information and data on climate
change and financing , to the media, public, government, donors
 Target capacity building of key actors in the budget process for planning and budgeting
for climate change, specifically, sector working groups and the Parliamentary Budget
Office
 Call for development of performance indicators on Climate Change
Improving Capacity to advance the Climate Change Financing Advocacy Agenda
 Commission institution specific in-depth capacity assessments for climate finance
advocacy, as guidance for institutional specific capacity development interventions
 Target all planners and focal climate change officers in the project’s targeted institutions
with knowledge and skills on climate change financing advocacy so as to build their
competencies to incorporate climate change /DRR in institutional plans and budgets
 Build capacity for advocacy across all individuals targeted under the project, to enable
them effectively contribute to project success
 Advocate for and also facilitate institutionalization of a climate change / DRR function
particularly in the project’s implementing institutions.

7. Improving the Key Project Indicators
 Build the Monitoring and evaluation component of the project , that includes : re
developing indicators of performance for the entire project (results chain), developing
Logical frame work Matrix and Monitoring & Evaluation framework
Institutions, Processes, Policies and Individuals that should be Influenced For The Benefit
Of Climate Change Finance Advocacy
 Call for the establishment of a wider Climate Change forum that includes Government,
Civil Society, Faith Actors to facilitate dialogue on climate finance issues between all
these different actors.